High School Boys' Basketball: Roncalli earns State A berth

April 03, 2007|By American News Sports Staff

BRITTON - Three Aberdeen Roncalli players combined for 42 points as the Cavaliers defeated Northeast Conference foe Milbank 52-45 in the Region 1A championship game on Tuesday night. - ick Ochsner had a game-high 18 points, Dan O'Keefe scored 14, and Justin Kline added 10. All three players had moments in the game where they made contributions for the team in different ways. Ochsner, a senior center, scored eight points in the fourth quarter and pulled down five rebounds. He also scored seven straight points at one point. O'Keefe, a senior guard, made his only two free throws with 27 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Those free throws pushed the Cavaliers' lead to 51-43, their biggest of the fourth quarter. O'Keefe also scored six of Roncalli's 13 points in the first quarter. "Dan got things started for us in the first quarter," said Roncalli coach Todd Neuendorf. "And he kind of carried us in the first half." Kline, a junior forward, finished the game with 12 rebounds for a double-double. Kline also came up big from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. He finished the game making six-of-eight from the line. Kline made four of his free throws in the fourth quarter. Kline and Ochsner combined to score 14 of Roncalli's 18 points in the final quarter. "In the second half it was Nick and Cap (Kline) that took things over," said Neuendorf." Another senior, Rob Carlson, scored two points, but held Milbank junior guard Jeff Fish to just seven points. "Rob Carlson did an excellent job of guarding the Fish kid," said Neuendorf. "He is their best player and Rob really shut him down." The Cavaliers advance to the State A Tournament in Rapid City on March 15-17. It will be the ninth time in school history that Roncalli has advanced to a state tournament. It will be the first time since 2002. "Being a first-year coach at Roncalli, it is kind of a dream come true because you never think something like that is going to happen in your first year," said Neuendorf about making the state tourney. "I'm blessed with a good group of basketball players. We are excited to go play and see who we play." The Bulldogs' leading scorer was Cory Lesnar with 12 points. Milbank finished it season with a 15-8 record. Roncalli will take a 20-3 record into the state tourney. The Cavaliers are currently riding a 12-game winning streak. "As they have understood what I want from them and what I expect from them and I learn what they can do, I really believe that is what it is," said Neuendorf about the winning streak. "We are all in this together and we all rally around each other. It is just a fun group to be around." The Northeast Conference has done well in the last three State A tournaments. In each of the last three years an NEC team has advanced to the state championship game. In 2004, Clark made the final. In 2005, Milbank won the tournament. Last season, Clark lost to St. Thomas More in the championship game. Roncalli lost to Milbank 68-59 in the only meeting between the teams earlier in the season. That was the second game of the season. "I said to the kids after that game that we are going to play these guys again and it is going to be a chance to go to the state tournament," said Neuendorf. ABERDEEN RONCALLI: Dan O'Keefe 6 2-2 14, Nick Ochsner 8 2-3 18, Justin Kline 2 6-8 10, Spencer Christenson 2 0-0 5, Max Pfeiffer 1 0-0 3, Robert Carlson 1 0-0 2. Totals 20-39 10-13 52. MILBANK: Cory Lesnar 6 0-0 12, Lance Frogner 4 0-1 8, Josh Anderson 1 5-8 8, Brodie Glanzer 4 0-1 8, Jeff Fish 3 0-0 7, Blake Conroy 1 0-2 2. Totals 19-48 5-12 45. Aberdeen Roncalli (20-3) 13 25 34 52 Milbank (15-8) 10 21 30 45 3-point field goals - Pfeiffer, Christenson, Fish, Anderson. Fouled out - Christenson. Total fouls - Aberdeen Roncalli 16; Milbank 17. Rebounds - Aberdeen Roncalli 21 (Kline 12); Milbank 24 (Frogner 7). Turnovers - Aberdeen Roncalli 13; Milbank 12. Officials - Sherm Cutler, Dave Planteen, Jeff Planteen.